Abstract
Plants produce a wide variety of natural volatile organic compounds (NVOCs), many of which are unique to each species. These compounds serve many purposes, such as fending off herbivores and adapting to changes in temperature and water supply. Interestingly, although NVOCs are synthesized to deter herbivores, many of these compounds have been found to possess several therapeutic qualities, such as promoting nerve stability, enhancing sleep, and suppressing hyperresponsiveness, in addition to acting as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. Therefore, many NVOCs are promising drug candidates for disease treatment and prevention. Given their volatile nature, these compounds can be administered to patients through inhalation, which is often more comfortable and convenient than other administration routes. However, the development of NVOC-based drug candidates requires a careful evaluation of the molecular mechanisms that drive their therapeutic properties to avoid potential adverse effects. Furthermore, even compounds that appear generally safe might have toxic effects depending on their dose, and therefore their toxicological assessment is also critical. In order to enhance the usage of NVOCs this short review focuses not only on the biological activities and therapeutic mode of action of representative NVOCs but also their toxic effects.
Highlights
Natural volatile organic compounds (NVOCs), known as biogenic volatile organic compounds, are compounds that derive from living organisms such as plants
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic compounds that are volatile at environmental temperature; this definition may vary between countries and jurisdictions
Canada defines VOCs as organic compounds with boiling points between 50 and 250 ◦ C [1], whereas the European Union defines them as organic compounds with an initial boiling point less than or equal to 250 ◦ C measured at a standard atmospheric pressure of
Summary
Natural volatile organic compounds (NVOCs), known as biogenic volatile organic compounds, are compounds that derive from living organisms such as plants. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic compounds that are volatile at environmental temperature; this definition may vary between countries and jurisdictions. The diversity and level of the emitted NVOCs are deter of 17 mined by a variety of stimuli such as temperature and light [12,13,14], water and humidity mined by a variety of stimuli such as temperature and light [12,13,14], water and humidity [15,16], salt concentration [17], or the presence of ozone [18,19], among other factors.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
